The Ohio Theatre in Lima, OH is now for sale for $493,000. Here is a link to the realtor’s website that gives an interesting video tour of the theater in its present incarnation as a nightclub (click on :Home in Motion link):

Simultaneous burglaries of the Ohio Theater and adjoining Fraternal Order of Eagles building were thwarted, four suspects were captured and two cars, believed stolen, were seized by Lima police
between 2:30 and 3 a.m. today. A fifth suspect still is at large. Patrolman Lewis Hamilton started the roundup at 2:30 when, while patrolling his downtown beat, he heard noises in an areaway between
the rear of the theater and Eagles buildings on Baker Alley. Investigating, Hamilton found Bruce A. Crum, 19, of 809 W. Elm St., standing by the open door of the theater. Beside Crum was the theater safe. At the same time the patrolman heard someone else inside the building. Handcuffing Crum to the theater door, Hamilton went inside and called the police station for additional officers to aid in searching the building.

Officers Hamilton and Phillips found Warren F. Taylor, 30, Kenton, crouched on a stairway leading to the theater balcony. He surrendered without resistance. The other officers went to the theater roof and from there across to the Eagles building roof, looking for evidence of forced entry. While they were at the northwest corner of the building’s roof, three men darted from the west door of the building on N. Elizabeth St. and ran west in Baker Alley. All three policemen opened fire on the trio, one of whom threw away a sack of change which burst and scattered coins all over the alley. About $130â€"all in silverâ€"was recovered later. A loaded .32 caliber pistol and 50 feet of rope also were found with the change.

The three suspects disappeared toward N. West St. but a few minutes later, Patrolmen William Gary and Thomas Miller, cruising in the vicinity in search of the escapees, spotted a red and black sedan parked in the 300 block of N. Elizabeth St. There were two persons in the car. The officers recognized the pair as Frank (Gene) Stratton, 21, of 115 E. Grand Ave., and a 16-year old juvenile, both of whom had “panting as if they had been running and both had dirt on their hands and clothes similar to dust from an attic” the patrolmen reported. Search of the car revealed three sets of stolen license plates. Stratton and the juvenile were arrested and brought to the police station.

Returning to the search, Gary and Miller a few minutes later discovered the second car which was parked in the 400 block of N. Elizabeth St. The spare tire had been removed from the trunk and was in the back seat of the 1946 model sedan, which led police to believe the car was to be used in carrying away the theater safe. This car has been linked to Taylor, who was captured in the theater, police say.